The Lilac Lady

"Hulda Klager was two years old when her parents brought her to

America from Germany in 1865. The family moved to Woodland, WA.

and purchased a farm in 1877 when she was thirteen.  Her home,

built in 1889, is located on four acres of the original farm.

Even though Hulda was busy with the demands of home, marriage, and

family she was able to make time for her flowers.

While she was recovering from an illness in 1903, she received a book

about Luther Burbank.  His work to improve plants through propagation

caught Hulda's attention. Her own first tests began with an apple tree

at the farm. Hulda's work with lilacs began in 1905. By 1910 she had

14 new varieties to show for her efforts.

In 10 years she had enough varieties to host her first open house during

the spring bloom. She continued this event until her death in 1960.

As her reputation grew, Hulda became known as the Lilac Lady."

The sitting room above is where she greeted guests and served tea.

Tea served in her bedroom.

In the closet there were several dresses and quilts on display.

There were quilts displayed throughout the home.

It was beautiful day to walk in Hulda's garden.

I could definitely sit and dream here in that distant chair.

www.lilacgardens.com for more information

It was a perfect day to smell the flowers.

Monday's Tea Quote

The pot in which I brew my tea

Is dented and more than a bit tarnished,

But I still enjoy the tea.

The house I live in

Needs a coat of paint and several shingles,

But I sleep well at night.

The body I use to live my life

Is wrinkled and slowing down,

But I am alive and I rejoice.

I am not the body in which I live,

I am the life itself.

~Mark Otter

Picture taken at a tea sale a few years ago.

Lilacs - Wishing for Smellivision!

It is lilac time in the Northwest and I wish you could smell them.

  Driving north to Woodland, Washington last Saturday

we (my "live-in gardener and I) visited the Hulda Klager Lilac Gardens.

Have you heard of Hulda? Many have not.

A historical fiction book by Jane Kirkpatrick is 

Where Lilacs Still Bloom.

It actually is a good story to learn who Hulda was

back at the turn of the twentieth century.

She developed at least 14 new varieties of lilacs.

This post is picture heavy, but I just couldn't stop snapping pictures.

Each one was just wonderful.

This pink above was my favorite called Romance.

I hadn't visited the gardens for quite a few years

and the Hulda Klager Lilac Society had certainly made

beautiful improvements.

I found this one fascinating with the white edge on each blossom.

The barn and gift shop have been renovated.

The back of the house had a lovely magnolia too.

All I can say is if you ever are in the Northwest when the lilacs

are blooming this is a must see place to stop.

Today I am sharing the garden,

next week I will share her home.

Happy Weekend, dear friends!
 PS: Well it is still Friday afterall.
Oops! I almost forgot to announce the winner
of the book give-away.
It is Nancy in Northeast.

Children's Arboretum

Recently a friend asked if I would like to go walking at the

Children's Arboretum. I had never heard of it, yet it was only a few miles

from my house.

So on a fine sunny afternoon we went walking.

I learned it was developed starting in 1900 because it was between

two waterways and with occasional flooding the land was not good

for housing. The arboretum was developed for children in a school nearby

to picnic and explore.

This secret hide-away oasis has an apple orchard and a rose garden too.

There were blossoms from the apples and cherries.

A perfect trail to share some time walking with a friend.

Searching for wildflowers we were not disappointed.

To me the tall grasses under a blooming apple tree is just the best.

What a perfect place to spread a quilt and picnic.

I will return with that quilt and sit under this apple tree.

Yes, I will!

Do you imagine spending a warm summer day sitting under

an apple tree, maybe reading, sipping something cold, napping,

and just watching the clouds roll by?

I think that would be the perfect thing to do right here.

Making Tea

Last week the tea was ready to pluck in the garden.

Do you see the tender leaves at the top of the branch.

That is what I pick.

There are a few brown leaves in among the leaves

and I usually pluck and toss those as they are damage from the winter.

There are 6 plants in the garden, but only 2 are mature

enough to pick from; so not alot of a crop.

Still it is fun to sip my own tea from the garden.

I spread the leaves out on my drying basket,

which I bought some years ago in Taiwan.

Then the oxidization begins.

It was an 80 degree day and I found the process

went much quicker than last year on a cooler day.

Then into the cast iron skillet the leaves went at a medium/low temp.

Last year I stirred fried for 20 minutes, but with the

heat I quit at 15 minutes this year.

The flavor was more toasty than last year too,

but still quite pleasant to drink.

I probably got about a 1/2 cup of roasted tea leaves.

Depending on the taste and effect you want

it isn't necessary to roast them, but applying some heat

does stop the oxidization. 

For me it is just a fun experiment each year

to be able to say I have my own tea in the cup.

It is very light in color, as you can see.

The finished tea is sitting on the right side of the cup. 

Linking to Bernideen at http://blog.bernideens.com/ 

Don't forget the give-away on Monday's post.

Camas Lilies

A few days ago I had to visit Camassia Nature Conservancy

to see the camas lilies.
They are magnificent!

The blue is stunning.

I took along my favorite hiking buddy, my grandson.

What fun we had.
D loved the rocks.
I loved the fields of flowers.

 We were both happy.

It was an adventure in exploring on wonderful trails.
We even saw two deer and many birds, but too far for my camera
to capture them so you could see.
As you can see D was always ahead of me.
At 5 years old he loves to run and climb.
The rule between us when we hike is always keep me in
his sight and he follows that well.
He tolerates me stopping to take pictures while he explores.

This poem so well explains the camas lily.

Camas Lilies

Consider the lilies of the field,

the blue banks of camas opening

into acres of sky along the road.

Would the longing to lie down

and be washed by that beauty

abate if you knew their usefulness,

how the native ground their bulbs

for flour, how the settlers' hogs

uprooted them, grunting in gleeful

oblivion as the flowers fell?

And you- what of your rushed

and useful life? Imagine setting it all down -

papers, plans, appointments, everything -

leaving only a note: "Gone

to the fields to be lovely. Be back

when I'm through blooming."

Even now, unneeded and uneaten,

the camas lilies gaze out above the grass

from their tender blue eyes.

Even in sleep your life will shine.

Make no mistake. Of course

your work will always matter.

Yet Solomon in all his glory

was not arrayed like one of these.

~Lynn Unger

Don't forget the give-away on Monday's post.
And Happy May Day!
A glorious day to get outside and enjoy the flowers.